Tiger Salamander question - Page 2

TLH_Wär§cöötmän · 02-15-05, 07:00 PM

I got a good idea for the pond I want to make, anyone ever tried this??

Take a heavier door screen, make a mould of the design, coat it with an epoxy, and stick sand to the epoxy. It seems like a very cheap and good way to make the pond, and any water hole design you like too. Thoughts/recommendations on the epoxy? I've never used the stuff so I am woundering if it is toxic or not. I am going to be dropping in to RONA tonight and I'm going to inquire there too.

samurai · 02-15-05, 07:05 PM

you should post a pic of your tiger, id like to compare the size to mine

TLH_Wär§cöötmän · 02-15-05, 07:06 PM

K gimme 15 minutes or so to take pic, DL it and resize it......

samurai · 02-15-05, 07:07 PM

cool

Double J · 02-15-05, 07:10 PM

The most natural looking way to do this would be to have the sloping glass as you originally planned... but then to silicone some cork bark to the sloping piece of glass. This will look far nicer than glued sand, and the cork bark will last forever. This is the way I would do it anyway. Though cork may be a little expensive..... this will look incredible.

TLH_Wär§cöötmän · 02-15-05, 07:30 PM

Here's my Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) named Laguna.

Is cork bark water proof?? I am putting about 2" of water at least, if not 3", depending. I would much rather make a pond in the center than glass divide an end of the tank, but I will look into the cork bark if I have to resort to the glass.

Double J · 02-15-05, 10:08 PM

I am not sure about the epoxy... I would hesitate to use it around amphibians. Epoxy tends to smell for an awful long time from my experience... and I would be afraid about what would leach out of it and into the water.
As for cork bark... that stuff is next to magical. It never rots.... and can be kept soaking wet for YEARS and show little to no signs of rotting. After all.. that is why it is used to keep wine bottles sealed. The cork bark looks as natural as you can get, and in a most environment.. sometimes neat little ferns and those sorts of things tend to sprout on them spontaneously... much like getting new corals from live rock.

I swear by the stuff. It is expensive... but is actually much cheaper than those cheesy resin tank ornaments.... and looks far nicer.

TLH_Wär§cöötmän · 02-15-05, 10:19 PM

I m going to try finding some form of plastic. If I can find thin plastic pieces and cut them into shape, then silicone them together. Anyone know where I can go check out corkbark in Edmonton? lol

Double J · 02-15-05, 10:33 PM

Try some of the chain stores... Super Pet in Ontario tends to carry it.

Mark at Understory Enterprises will likely ship you some if you want it, and can't find it out west.

Here is a link to his site:

www.understoryenterprises.com

Good luck.

sneaky_boa · 02-15-05, 10:34 PM

I use both epoxy and silicone in my lab for a number of things. the epoxy (not special 'medical' epoxy or anything, just regular home depot stuff on a smaller scale) we use for fine wire electrodes which penetrate the skin and lodge directly in human muscle tissue. I say, if it's safe for this minor type of invasive procedure, it's safe for your animals!!

Double J · 02-15-05, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sneaky_boa
I use both epoxy and silicone in my lab for a number of things. the epoxy (not special 'medical' epoxy or anything, just regular home depot stuff on a smaller scale) we use for fine wire electrodes which penetrate the skin and lodge directly in human muscle tissue. I say, if it's safe for this minor type of invasive procedure, it's safe for your animals!!

Still.... amphibians are far more sensitive to chemicals than we are. Isopropyl alchohol is safe for use on our skin.... mouthwash is safe for use on our bloody gums.... we use orajel in our sore mouths..... and peroxide is safe for use on our cuts. To compare.... isopropyl is used for euthanizing amphibians, and a mere drop of orajel on a frogs back will euthanize it as well. I think comparing what is safe to humans to what is safe for use around amphibians is like comparing apples and oranges... though I would suffice to say that apples are closer to oranges than we are to amphibians

Let's not forget that with the minute amounts of epoxy used in the skin penetrating electrodes and any chemicals that may leach from it... we are far more massive than a small salamander.... and thus a salamander would be affected to a far greater degree if absorbing similar levels of the same chemicals.

Still....... I know little about the chemical properties of epoxy..... so I could be wrong.. but we cannot forget how sensitive amphibians can be.... so I would err on the side of caution.

sneaky_boa · 02-15-05, 10:54 PM

You know...those are all very good and very valid points Double J! Well spoken!

TLH_Wär§cöötmän · 02-17-05, 06:57 PM

Oh BTW I am going to use aquarium silicone. If its safe for fishies and newts, it is going to be safe for my Tiger

And I am using plastic grids for knitting (?? I think) to form the lagoon. I might not get to it for a little bit but I will post a pic once its done.